CIEL | News: Agri-Tech Centres support new online portal to boost UK agri-tech exports
The UK Agri-Tech Centres (Agrimetrics, Agri-EPI Centre, CHAP (Crop Health and Protection) and CIEL (Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock) are supporting a new web portal aimed at helping the UK agri-tech industry export to new markets.
Launched on 10.01.22 by UK Minister for Exports Mike Freer MP, the Agri-Tech-UK Directory has been established to ensure overseas producers and companies in the agricultural industry, embassies and government trade departments can easily locate UK agri-tech companies and their specialist services.
The portal has been developed by the Department for International Trade and three UK Agri-Tech trade associations – UK Technology for Agriculture and Genetics (UK TAG), the Commercial Horticultural Association and the Agricultural Engineers Association. The Agri-Tech Centres sit on the portal the steering group alongside its founding organisations and Local Enterprise Partners in the Midlands Engine, Northern Powerhouse and South West.
Chris Jackson, Export Manager for UK TAG, explained:
“Post-Brexit, Britain has a unique opportunity to strengthen its position as a global hub of agricultural science and innovation, developing and exporting technological solutions to improve food production around the world, and attracting inward investment to support jobs and economic activity at home.
“It is vital that we tell the world what we’re good at, and this new website will help us to get the message out there that the UK produces some of the best agricultural technology and help companies take advantage of future trade deals.”
Speaking on behalf of the Agri-Tech Centres, CIEL Chief Executive Lyndsay Chapman said:
“The Centres are already working with partners in some 17 countries around the world to ensure UK agri-tech excellence supports sustainable food production and to help UK agri-tech companies flourish in new markets. This portal is a very positive step in increasing awareness of the UK’s expertise and capabilities and helping to cement new relationships and business.”
Among the information available on the portal is a directory of UK agri-tech providers, searchable by sector, product and region. Subscribers also receive exclusive access to regular ‘Meet the Buyer’ events, and can communicate directly via the portal with international buyers.
The Minister for Exports launched the portal at the meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science & Technology in Agriculture where he spoke of the need for the UK to shout more loudly about the UK’s leading agri-tech expertise and capabilities in order to boost exports.
